Stew
by VoldieandtheDeathMunchers
Summary: Edward reminisces about the best parts of his childhood.


**Hey there! It's been awhile, hasn't it? I'm such a procrastinator. To tide you over until I update GOMM and The Roleplay. It's really just a quickie oneshot I did for my English Acl. Class on a 'describe this picture prompt'. It was from a food magazine-- trust me to turn food into this. -.-; Anyways, it's pretty short, just two pages in Word. It's quite drabbleish actually, but I'm pleased with the way it came out. The only thing I'm a bit unsure of is the last few lines in the ending. So if you could let me know it I should chance that around a bit or just leave it, that'd be great. Love you all! **

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"_Stew"_

_By Riza M._

"Hey Al, stop pushing! Mum, he pushed me!" Edward whined, trying and failing to reach the large pot of stew on the other side of the table. He looked imploringly at his mother and held out his bowl like a poor beggar child, pitiful expression and all. Trisha smiled at her eldest son and filled the sky blue bowl full of the hot stew. She shot an admonishing look at her other boy.

"Alphonse, don't push your brother," she scolded, taking his bowl and filling it also.

"Sorry, Mum."

"Don't apologise to me."

"Sorry, Brother," Al grudgingly apologised, a petulant expression on his small face. Edward rolled his eyes.

"Whatever, let's eat!" he yelled happily. The meal before him had worked its tantalizing magic for long enough, and he was _hungry_. Seizing his spoon, he took one last great whiff of the rosemary, thyme, and onion before fishing up a big chunk of beef and shoving it into his mouth. It was perfect and tender and juicy and everything it always was. It was his mum's stew after all. How could it be anything but? He grinned, spoon coming out with potato this time, and it was every bit as good as the beef. He had to resist the urge to give a contented sigh. He just _loved_ this stuff.

"Al, pass the bread," he told his brother, although it really sounded more like "Ah, pash uh behd."

"Here," Al handed him the loaf of French bread sitting on the table.

"Don't talk with your mouth full, Edward. And eat your carrots, they're good for you! There are starving children in Xing, you know," his mother scolded.

"Shoree, Mum," he said, swallowing with some difficulty before going back to his meal. The carrots weren't _bad_, exactly, but the texture was just gross. They were all mushy and slimy-- that was probably the only thing wrong with the stew.

"After dinner, I want you boys to get cleaned up and changed. Winry's first flute recital starts at seven o' clock, and we don't want to be late," Trisha said, finishing her own supper. Ed rolled his eyes in displeasure. Winry hadn't shut up about the thing in weeks, claiming she was going to be a famous musician after she became 'the greatest automail mechanic in the world ever'. Besides, he had wanted to finish the chapter in "Basic Elemental Alchemy" on water based transmutations and then try some of his own. Al, however, looked quite exited. But then again, it _was_ Al. He got excited for everyone; that was the way he was.

Both boys finished their stew in record time, pushing away the table.

"Race you upstairs!" the elder cried, taking off.

"Hey-- Brother, no fair!"

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Edward smiled fondly down on the recipe card in his hand. It was old and slightly torn at the edges from being folded and unfolded countless times, the permanent creases delicate enough to tear without much effort. He traced one flesh finger over the neat cursive letters, so reminiscent of the woman who'd penned them so long ago. He had never told Alphonse he'd kept it-- it was his little secret, his last connection to her.

"Brother, we're going to be late! General Mustang told us to be at his office at seven sharp!" he heard Al shout from the other room of the small dorm they were staying in while they were at East Headquarters.

"Coming, Al!" he folded the keepsake carefully and placed it back in the small pocket in his suitcase where he kept it. No, he'd keep that memory for himself.

"Bro-_ther!"_

"Okay, okay! Geez, why do we have to go see that guy anyways?"

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**So tell me what you think of that ending bit. Was it okay or should I change it? I'm still a bit shaky on that. Feedback is hugely appreciated!**


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